1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a device for draining fluids and more particularly to a debris suppression device that includes a submersible bucket formed with a plurality of drain holes located adjacent the opening of the bucket and a plurality of straps which define strut members fixedly mounted to the bucket and extending upwardly so as to be secured to a flexible hose or pump body by means of an adjustable hose clamp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art various problems and difficulties are incurred when a water draining operation takes place under conditions wherein contaminated debris is present in the water. This is a particular problem when there is a need to drain water or fluids in a utility company facility or when anyone needs to enter a manhole or underground vault for access to a waste system or storm drain.
It has been found that most underground water is good or uncontaminated but that construction debris at the bottom is normally bad or contaminated and fouls the water. Therefore, the bucket of the present invention is used to pump the uncontaminated water down to the construction debris so that normal work functions may be performed.
Generally a remediation system is employed to safely and expediently drain or discharge many types of liquid contents from confined areas or vaults, particularly those that are often found underground.The liquid is generally stagnated water in which contaminated material and debris may be found.
As an example of a remediation system, there is a four-stage device featuring individual filters that remove particulates, petroleum hydrocarbons, copper and lead. This system is an adaptation of safe-industry technology currently used today. The base system includes four filter stages and a dewatering pump that pressurizes and operates the system. This system is adapted to be mounted on skids or a trailer to provide a flexible unit that can be operated under many different conditions and in various locations.
When a remediation system of this type is to be operated, prior testing is performed to determine which pollutants present in the water need to be removed and discharged in or to a environmentally safe area. This allows the operator to adjust and select the appropriate filters on the manifold to separate lead, hydrocarbons, copper or particulates as the contaminated water passes through the system.
However, there is still a need for a simple device that prevents debris containing solid materials of all sizes and shapes from entering the system. While test research has shown that the majority of water in underground vaults is safe to discharge into storm drains, the opposite is often true for debris found at the bottom of a vault. When an inlet hose or submersible pump is placed in a vault, the kinetic action of pumping agitates the settled debris and suspends some of it in the discharging water. It follows that if the debris is polluted, and enters the pump, the water then also becomes polluted. Thus, there is at the present time a great need for a simple device that can be readily attached to the free end of a pump hose to prevent the polluted debris from reaching the pump of the system and being discharged or fouling the pump.